Utensil holder for chafing dishes and the like

ABSTRACT

Means attachable to any serving vessel, such as a pan, chafing dish or the like for holding utensils adjacent the particular serving vessel to keep the utensils immediately and safely available for use, while discouraging the utensils from one serving vessel from being used to serve food from a different serving vessel.

RELATED CASES

This invention is described in my previous patent application Ser. No 13/323,718, filed Jan. 9, 2012 and now abandoned.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to cooking equipment and is particularly directed to improved means for holding utensils for use with professional chafing dishes and the like.

BACKGROUND

In commercial cooking, food is prepared in large quantities and is placed in serving vessels, such as pans, chafing dishes or the like to be kept warm until it is served. At that time, utensils, such as spoons, spatulas, forks or the like, are used to transfer the food from the serving vessels to the individual serving plates. However, between servings, the utensils are usually returned to the serving vessel with the handle resting on the edge of the serving vessel. Unfortunately, this causes the handle of the utensil to project outwardly from the serving vessel, putting it at risk of being accidentally hit by a passer-by and knocked out of the serving vessel, splattering some of the food and causing the spilled food and the utensil to fall onto the floor. Obviously, when this occurs, the mess must be cleaned up and new utensils must be provided to replace the ones which have fallen on the floor. Alternatively, the utensil may be placed on the table, rather than in the proper serving vessel, and may be used to deliver food from a different serving vessel, thereby contaminating the food in both serving vessels. These problems cause considerable unnecessary work for the employees and add significantly to the cost of preparing the food. Unfortunately, the prior art has provided no solution for these problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION

These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention and means are provided for storing utensils safely and cleanly and for allowing them to be immediately available for use, while discouraging the use of the utensils to serve from other serving vessels.

These advantages of the present invention are preferably attained by providing means attachable to any serving vessel, such as a chafing dish or the like for holding cooking utensils adjacent the particular chafing dish to keep ther utensils immediately and safely available for use, while discouraging the utensils from one serving vessel from being used to serve food from a different serving vessel.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved means for storing cooking utensils.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved means for storing cooking utensils safely and cleanly.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide means for storing cooking utensils safely and cleanly and for allowing them to be immediately available for use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide improved means for storing utensils safely and cleanly and for allowing them to be immediately available for use, while discouraging the use of the utensils to serve from other serving vessels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means attachable to any serving vessel, such as a pan, chafing dish or the like for holding utensils.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide means attachable to any serving vessel, such as a pan, chafing dish or the like for holding utensils adjacent the particular serving vessel to keep ther utensils immediately and safely available for use, while discouraging the utensils from one serving vessel from being used to serve food from a different serving vessel.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a utensil holder embodying the present invention attached to a serving vessel;

FIG. 2 is is a plan view of the utensil holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded right side view of the utensil holder of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the cover member of the utensil holder of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In that form of the present invention chosen for purposes of illustration, FIG. 1 shows a utensil holder, indicated generally at 10, attached to the sidewall 12 of a serving vessel 14, such as a pan, chafing dish or the like. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the utensil holder 10 comprises a first lower flat portion 16 connected to an upwardly inclined portion 18 and a second upper flat portion 20. The lower flat portion 16 has vertical side walls 22 extending about the periphery thereof and a lid 24 extending over the front section of the lowe flat portion 116. The inclined portion 18 has a pair of flanges 26 extending upwardly and outwardly from both sides of the inclined portion 18. Finally, attaching means 28 are provided on the side walls 22 and the upper flat portion 20 to releasably attach the utensil holder 10 to the side 12 of the serving vessel 14. As seen in FIGS. 1-3, the attaching means 28 are inverted U-shaped members which overlie the sidewalls 12 of the serving vessel 14 to releasably attach the utensil holder 10 to the serving vessel 14. The lid 24 of the utensil holder 10 may be removed, as seen in FIG. 3, and has side walls 30 which mate with the side walls 22 of the flat portion 16 to allow the lid 24 to be removably mounted on the side walls 22 of the lower flat portion 16.

In use, a plurality of serving vessels 14 are placed on a serving table and a serving table and individual utensil holders 10 are attached to each one of the serving vessels 14 by suitable means, such as attaching means 28. The appropriate serving utensil, not shown, for each serving vessel 14 is placed on the associated utensil holder 10 with the serving portion of the utensil resting o the lower flat portion 16 of the utensil holder 10 and the handle of the utensil resting on the upper flat portion 20. If desired, a lid 24 may be placed on the side walls 22 of the lower flat portion 16 to prevent airborne matter from landing on the serving portion of the utensil. Since each utensil holder 10 is attached to a respective serving vessel 14, the utensil appropriate for that serving vessel 14 will be immediately available and since the utensil holder 10 is attached to the serving vessel 14 and lies parallel to it, there is little likelihood that the utensil will accidentally be bumped or knocked onto the floor. Moreover, since each serving vessel 14 has a respective utensil holder 10 attached thereto, the proper utensil for each serving vessel 10 will be immediately and safely available, so there is little likelihood of the utensil for one serving vessel 14 being used on an improper serving vessel 14.

Obviously, numerous variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be clearly understood that the forms of the present invention described above and shown in the figures of the accompanying drawing are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A utensil holder for serving vessels having a side wall, said utensil holder comprising: means for holding a utensil, and means for attaching said holding means to said serving vessel.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein: said attaching means attaches said holding means to the side wall of said serving vessel.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein: said attaching means attaches saids holding means to lie parallel to said side wall of said serving vessel.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein: said serving vessel is a chafing dish.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein: said serving vessel is a pan.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein: said holding means has a lower flat portion, an upper flat portion, and an inclined portion connecting said flat portions.
 6. The device of claim 5 further comprising: side walls extending vertically about the periphery of said lower flat portion.
 7. The device of claim 1 wherein: said attaching means are inverted U-shaped members. 